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It’s amazing how far a simple, authentic “thank you” can go. Think about it – when someone takes the time to genuinely thank you, it’s appreciated and you’re more apt to help that person in the future. The same goes for your customers and vendors. When I receive a real thank you, I’m much more apt to buy more often from the business and to share about the brand with my family and friends.

We’ve all seen a “thank you for your business” at the bottom of a invoice, receipt, or shipping slip inside the box of an online order. But how often do you actually give those thank-yous a second glance? How can you elevate your thank-yous so that they move beyond just a standard line that every business includes and become a unique calling card that your customers look forward to, increases your brand awareness and drives you more business?

Human Unlimited has it figured out. They sell creative, thought invoking, in-your-face men’s and women’s t-shirts. They’re so popular that they often sell out of many of the designs before you can get your hands on one. I ordered a tee from them, and received this thank you card along with it.

A handcrafted, personalized card saying thank you! I was just as happy to see the card as I was to get the shirt. I know they appreciate my business and took the time to genuinely say thanks. That’s a big deal. And if you just take one look at their Facebook page, you’ll see I’m not the only one.

Your business may not have the manpower or budget to do something so personalized. But there are so many other things you can do to send your customers and vendors virtual love. It could be as simple as offering a discount code off their next purchase, or offering them free shipping. And don’t forget to acknowledge customers who are unhappy with your service. Their complaints are valuable feedback to the way you do business. Let them know you appreciate that they took time out of their day to let you know what they were unhappy about and for giving you the chance to right a wrong (whether it was real or perceived).

Email your vendors to say thanks for delivering in a time-crunch situation or send business their way. Make sure they know that you appreciate their business. Be genuine and specific; if you’re not they will never know.

Don’t forget to give your audience the opportunity to socialize their excitement about your brand. Include a custom hashtag that they can use when posting about you and make sure you have someone on the team who is actively engaging with those who post.

Saying thanks doesn’t have to be a huge, time consuming endeavor – just a thoughtful one.

Pro Tip: No time to read through a ton of newsletters full of tips and what’s new in social media marketing? Subscribe to ours – we do all the reading for you and only share the good stuff! www.wylieandcompany.com

In marketing and life, it’s much more effective to show rather than tell. Sure, you can tell me all day long how life changing your product or service is but I’ll be much more inclined to believe you when I continuously see it in action. That’s where content marketing comes in. Content marketing shows your audience exactly who you are, what you believe in and how it aligns with their own thoughts and beliefs. Content marketing conveys your brand’s lifestyle. Content marketing is what keeps your audience coming back for more time after time and will keep them engaged even if they’re not ready to buy.

Let’s look at a high ticket item with a super long purchase cycle as an example: real estate.

Debbie is a San Diego based realtor. She specifically works with helping young families buy their first homes in hip, urban neighborhoods. Instead of selling her families a home and then never hearing from them again, Debbie uses a comprehensive content marketing strategy to keep engaging with them and to stay top of mind. She publishes a weekly newsletter that highlights the best things to do in San Diego for young families, she features local experts on her blog and newsletter who can educate her readers about issues new homeowners may face, her Instagram is beautifully curated with images of San Diego neighborhoods, activities and sights to see. She maintains a strong relationship with local influencers who she can connect her audience with and is active across her social platforms talking about, you guessed it, the San Diego lifestyle. Debbie’s clients find tremendous value in the content she puts out and feel really connected to the community she’s created. They refer clients to her again and again and when they’ve outgrown their first homes, she’s the first person they call.

Debbie could have gone the route of repeatedly saying that she’s the best realtor in San Diego or that she truly cares for her clients, but instead she showed them, over and over again. She demonstrated her expertise in the area and painted a vivid picture of the lifestyle her brand represents. Because of her content marketing strategy, she stands out from other realtors – easy peasy.